Completed Let's Multiplay Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (PBEM) - Game 1

[Storyfag]

Too bad none of you picked Yang or Zakharov. Much lulz could have been had with Miriam too, though we've seen her in an LP fairly recently.

 

[Hellraiser]

Too bad none of you picked Yang or Zakharov. Much lulz could have been had with Miriam too, though we've seen her in an LP fairly recently.

I play Zakharov religiously and I played a bit of Yang as well, wanted something different. Never played as Santiago much and I have a major armed to the teeth paranoid fascist society boner recently. Wanted to LARP one in a new Aurora Great Game, if we ever started one, based on the junta/dictatorship of Tauron from the (shitty) TV series Caprica. Basically ancient Greece in modern times ruled by a tinpot military dictatorship.

Personally I think there's lot of room on how to portray what the Spartans stand for, making them more interesting than control freak Yang or progress sans ethics Zakharov. Still, with the University you could LARP either a fedora utopia, assburgers wet dream come true outright libertarian academia or a truly bizarre academic dictatorship, with a social hierarchy based on academic achievement, rampant plagiarism, corruption and all that jazz all circling around the cult of Science.

Yang though is just a control freak, there's much mockery of an ultimate totalitarian society to be made with him for sure, maybe even go down the Juche Yang route for maximum lulz (though his staunch atheism makes assigning him divine origins a bit retarded). But he's a bit one dimensional.

 

[Kalin]

Well, I don't play Civ4, so I wouldn't know about the mods. Gaians are very good early on though and can cover a lot of ground, provided that they find some worms (though I still reckon Spartans outperform them, both in general and in this game of ours). On the plus side, Gaians get the efficiency bonus which helps speed up research, quite vital since Free Market is forbidden. The Morganites are more tricky, being very fragile in the beginning (though synthmetal helps a bit against aggessive AI factions). Of couse, they will quickly out-earn and out-tech the treehuggers once they get their operation going - poor hippies just can't compete with those Beta Israel suits and their millenia-old jewing magjificks.

 

[Hellraiser]

I honestly wonder how long will it be until we run into the AI or each other. I think I should find someone with my rovers within 10 turns at the most, if mind worms don't bog me down.

 

[Kalin]

Mission Year 2123

Corporal Fiona Saffron of the 1st Recon Company was relaxing after a day of ranging in the northern territories, enjoying the view of the landscape as Alpha Centauri A - the brightest of the two suns - gently made its descent towards the horizon. If she was lucky, she might be able to catch a glimpse of the glowmites, flying insects which habitually swarmed at dusk. Sergeant Feather had once seen a cloud of them rise up in the air, radiating in the sunlight, and to this day, she swore that it was the most beautiful thing she had ever witnessed. Less concerned with recreational sights and more so with practical realities, the rest of her squad were inside their Unity Rover, resting in their bunks and working in the tiny kitchen compartment, preparing their supper of soy milk and vegetables - standard Gaian military rations. The vehicle was quite comfortable, and as it came with its own life-support system, there was no need to wear the cumbersome breathing masks inside.

Perhaps one day, Saffron thought, their scientists would manage to improve the human lungs so that the air of Planet could be filtered naturally. There had already been some theorising along such lines, and considering current events back in the colonies, the ground-work might actually have been laid already - even though the actual implementation would likely take decades, possibly even centuries.

In Gaia's Landing, practically everyone was talking about a major breakthrough in "Ethical Calculus", a method of outlining proper behaviour based on advanced mathematical formulae. It had featured quite heavily in the discourse surrounding the new Eugenics Program, recently approved by a general referendum, and a new research centre was already being formed in The Flowers Preach to accommodate the grand project. Some Gaians, however, also felt that this knowledge should be employed for greater political reforms, so as to create an even more inclusive democracy, but the majority still seemed to prefer the current structure, trusting in the leadership of Lady Skye and the Council.

This difference of opinions had led to some tension, and even Greenhouse Gate and Song of Planet, the new frontier colonies, had been affected by the divide. At times like these, Saffron was more than happy that she had applied for the northern reconnaissance mission. It was fairly easy-going work, much less strict than it would have been under old Captain Garland or - Gaia forbid! - that regimental psychopath Santiago. Being out in the wild also allowed her to enjoy what really mattered - nature itself, in all its unaltered glory.

"Saffron!", a voice suddenly called out, "You really should see this - there's something flaky going on!"

As she turned around, she saw that Private Brady Shrooms had emerged from the airlock, looking unusually alert.

"What do you mean flaky? We're all by ourselves here", she replied, wondering if the recreational herbs might have gotten the better of him.

"Not anymore, we aren't! Harmony just picked up a radio signal, and it sure ain't ours!"

"Come again?"

"Not ours, Corporal! It's scrambled like ours, could be from a Unity Rover, but it sure isn't from the 1st or 2nd Company."

It took a few moments for the implications to fully register. Up until now, no one in the colonies had been sure if the other factions had survived Planetfall. A few Gaians - Saffron being one of them - had even secretly hoped that they had all gone up in flames, never to be heard from again. A horrible fate to wish upon someone, granted - but perhaps not so unwarranted if it would spare a virgin world the ravages of war and pollution. This signal, however, effectively disproved any such notions - other humans had survived, and were, in fact, reasonably nearby.

The glowmites had to wait - Captain Dakota Wind would want to hear of this as soon as possible! At best, these strangers might be friendly and reasonable, and at worst, violence might be called for. Glancing towards the sole shredder carbine mounted atop the rover, an antiquated, largely untested piece brought down from the Unity during the fall - she quietly prayed for the former.

 

[Kalin]

I honestly wonder how long will it be until we run into the AI or each other. I think I should find someone with my rovers within 10 turns at the most, if mind worms don't bog me down.

Might just beat you to it!

My borders were pushed back a little last turn, which can only mean that some chums are building bases close to my holy clay.

 

[Hellraiser]

Also lost a rover to mindworms. Looks like Sparta Command will need more names to be enshrined on the "fallen while valiantly fighting indigenous lifeforms" memorial.

 

[Hellraiser]

Nah, he's not next to me. Kalin already said who he ended up with on his piece of Planet. I'll leave it to him to reveal that piece of information.

I won't be running into the AI for another 10 turns at least, rover that was turned into wormfood was the one scouting the only direction in which there could be another faction. All the other ones were busy popping pods elsewhere or escorting important shit.

Also asshole mindworms want to fuck my colony pod.

 

[Hellraiser]

Peacekeepers and Fascists versus Pacifists
ULTIMATE DOOM EXPANSION PACK FOR GAIA'S LANDING
ITZ coming to Planet.
Next Thursday, wait and see.

Spoiler about ITZ

As if I have the necessary tools to project power to their continent and not get raped by mindworms or the neighboring faction on my own turf.

 

[Kalin]

Mission Year 2123-2125

Following the discovery of the mysterious radio broadcasts, the 1st and 2nd Recon Company were ordered by Major Amanda Windsong to pinpoint their location. The messages, however, were both brief and infrequent, and the task proved far more cumbersome than the top brass had envisioned. The rovers advanced far and wide in their search, and though signs of human settlement were sometimes observed, they could not tell with any certainty exactly where the survivors were located. Still, the time was not all lost, for they did locate two additional Unity Supply Pods, as well as one curious anomaly. The Council and military staff decided that exploration of these should take precedence over the tracking, and both companies were accordingly dispatched to investigate the sites.

In early M.Y. 2124, the 1st Recon Company identified the anomaly as an ancient Monolith, capable of repairing machinery and even reinvigorating the humans operating them. The Temple of Gaia quickly proclaimed it a miracle, and many came to believe that "Mother Gaia was blessing them from above", bestowing upon them "great riches" for their faithful service. Much rejoicing took place at home, and both pilgrimages and fertility festivals were actively being planned. Several artefacts were also unearthed in its vicinity, amidst which two in particular were deemed to be of extreme value to the colonies. They were sleek conical devices, merely twenty centimetres or so long, and if the experts were right, they had been utilised for some kind of advanced data storage. Bringing these back to Gaia’s Landing and The Flowers Preach was given utmost priority.

The first of the pods was also retrieved this year, revealing it to have contained weapons and personal armour, no doubt meant to supply the original Unity Security Force. Regrettably, it had nearly been stripped clean during the final hours aboard the ship, and aside from a few shredder pistols and a single, faulty synthmetal plate, no valuable equipment could be salvaged. Nevertheless, its main computer was still functional, and what Corporal Fiona Saffron and Specialist Trip Moonberry found inside was arguably even more useful: precise descriptions of advanced electro-magnetic scrambling techniques, effectively outlining the radio communication protocols of another human faction. Ironically - and much to the surprise of the Council - these protocols did not match those employed by the nearby colonists, but rather survivors much further away.

As contact was established, these survivors turned out to be the followers of the Unity Security Chief, Sheng-Ji Yang, now styling himself as Chairman of the Human Hive. Following introductions and brief reminiscing, Yang crudely demanded access to the Gaian knowledge of Centauri Ecology. Lady Skye, however, held firm during the negotiations, refusing to yield to pressure. Her resolve must have impressed the Chairman, for soon the two established cordial relations.

While the free-spirited Gaians originally found it hard to comprehend the collectivist and disciplined character the Hive citizenry, their general philosophy did contain a number of surprising similarities with their own outlook on life. Now true, they did not care much for democracy, this much was certain, but they were also not distracted by the trappings of greed or consumerism, preferring instead to enjoy the natural aspects of existence. Hive intellectuals spent a considerable amount of their time contemplating philosophy and striving towards enlightenment, and the average citizens would typically unwind with group exercises, poetry, herbal recreation and love-making - almost exactly as their Gaian counterparts. All things considered, most people in the colonies were quite happy to have found that Yang's faction was alive and well, as opposed to the extremist zealots of Godwinson, or the ravenous money-grubbers following Morgan.

In M.Y. 2125, representatives of the Gaia’s Stepdaughters and the Human Hive signed an official treaty of friendship, recognising their respective territorial sovereignty and pledging to conduct commerce. Trade was of course quite limited, for neither faction produced anything in excess. Still, Gaian knowledge of terraforming, nutrient processing and recycling were exchanged for Hive expertise in Information Networks. Guided by Hive technicians, the scientific community quickly learnt how to reprogram and utilise their salvaged computers, resulting in a definite increase in data-processing power. As a further benefit, it would also be possible to improve the primitive data links and establish proper Network Nodes. Unbeknownst to the Chairman, this would in turn allow the Gaians to link their valuable artefacts directly into the computer networks.

If anyone thought things were going to remain positive, however, they were sorely mistaken.

Life in the colonies was about to change.

 

[Kalin]

Mission Year 2125-2126

"Pain, Agony, Suffering, Torment. When the Rune is invoked, even the earth shall resonate its anguish. Torment of the mind. Torment of the body. Torment of the soul. All will be made clear when the Circle is drawn." - Planetescape Torment, Datalinks

After all the good fortune enjoyed in previous years, M.Y. 2125 marked the beginning of hardships all too similar to those suffered back on Earth. To begin with, the attempted retrieval of the second pod resulted in the worst disaster the colonies had yet to experience. As the hapless explorers tinkered with its contents, trying to make sense of the machinery within, a number of Morgan-built robotic miners, half-operational and clearly malfunctioning, suddenly sprang into action attempting to conduct mining operations in the very midst of the Xenofungus. The harmful activity acted as a catalyst for Mind Worm activity, resulting in the formation of boils the size of which no one had previously thought possible. While the spectacular force of nature made short work of the evil machinery, the poor animals could not differentiate between friends and foes, opting instead to turn on everything alien to the symbiosis. Surrounded and unable to retreat, both the 1st and 2nd Recon Company were thoroughly obliterated.

Not long after, the small group of Gaians escorting one of the artefacts back to The Flowers Preach encountered a scout patrol belonging to the nearby Planetfall survivors. They called themselves Peacekeepers and were led by Pravin Sanjay Lal, the Unity Chief Surgeon. Despite former friendship aboard the Unity, Commissioner Lal adopted a strong position during the ensuing negotiations, perhaps already aware of the recent disaster which had significantly weakened the Gaian colonies. He shamelessly promoted himself as the natural leader of the Unity mission, and even demanded that the Council should hand over precious salvaged materials to his pseudo-fascist bureaucrats.

When Lady Skye promptly refused, pointing out that Lal was not even Second in Command aboard the Unity - and that even if he had been, it would still not give him any right to deprive the Gaians of their possessions - the pompous little Indian was notably outraged. The small Gaian party was immediately butchered, and even worse, the artefact was rudely stolen! This proved loud and clear that whatever notion of democracy Lal professed to was just as much a sham to empower the evil forces of the military industrial complex and the banksters of Zion as it had been back on Earth. Not long after, reports reached the Council that the Peacekeepers had secured aid from the psychopath Santiago - a suitable ally for a warmongering madman, and most likely the true reason for Lal's arrogance and confidence.

Back at home, Gaian warrior-poets furiously beat their tambourines and eco-drums, decrying the man for his atrocities against the great commune. The situation, however, was critical, for what they had in passion they sorely lacked in military strength. The Unity Rovers had been lost, whatever weapons they possessed were antiquated, and the Gaian Army, as it were, was so poorly trained and organised that it was green not only in allegiance. To provide some basic protection, production of new synth-steel armour had quickly been comissioned in Gaia's Landing, but the work to develop them would take months, possibly years, and it would only slow down the freedom-hating aggressors, not stop them completely.

If there was any hope, it lay with the Mind Worms - loyal, fearsome little weapons of Mother Planet herself - but with only a single Empath to guide them, they too would be overrun in time. Faced with these facts, Lady Skye opted to gamble it all on one swift charge. The colonists bound for the fertility festival at the Monolith were ordered to construct an outpost right next to the Peacekeeper territory. Using the beneficial structure to their advantage, they would assemble weapons, mobilise what few men and women they had and launch a full-scale attack.

In conjunction with a strike from Ms Starshine and her herd of Mind Worms, it might just be enough to overwhelm and destroy the closest Peacekeeping base and give the colonies a fighting chance. Indeed, if they moved fast enough, they might even reclaim their stolen artefact from those thieving red-tape autocratic war-makers parading under their false democracy and misused U.N. Charter.

 

[Hellraiser]

Weapons of War

The colonel walked pass the rugged reinforced wheels of the rover. The hull of the machine shimmered in the lights of the Ironholm Motorpool nearly as much as the bald head of Captain Himura did. Santiago's hand touched the frame of the vehicle, the cold steel seemed unwelcoming to touch but comfort was never a priority in the Spartan Way of Life. The rover itself didn't look unusual, only the weapon made it look different. Santiago guesses that most of the changes were made inside of the chassis.

"What exactly did you change, how does it handle compared to the old scout rovers?" The Colonel asks while curiously looking at the metallic form of the vehicle.

"Colonel," Himura replies in a formal tone, "performance-wise it is nearly the same as the scout. Top speed and acceleration are within two percent of the old scout rover's."

"No significant weight change?"

"No ma'am, the capacitors replaced the spare ammo supply in weight. We actually had some gains as unlike with the autocannon, the laser cannon doesn't need to have periodic barrel replacement. There are spare parts for the cannon but overall their weight is less than what we had to carry around for the autocannon."

"So they drive nearly exactly the same?"

"Weight distribution is a bit different. Center of mass is a bit more to the back as the mass of the capacitors shifted it there."

"I want to see what this thing can do, prepare the target and fire the cannon."

"As you wish ma'am." The Captain eagerly replies.

A mock-up of a Gaian scout rover was towed into the motorpool's garage. Inside it were two dummies dressed in old and worn environmental suits, too worn to be of safe use to scouts in the field. The Federation however tolerates no waste, so using them for target practice made sense, after all the useful electronics and life support devices have been salvaged. The Engineers have painted the suit-wearing dummies in all the colors of the rainbow and put flower beads around their necks. The rover mock-up itself was also a grotesque parade of highly saturated colors, make love not war and peace be with you bro were written on its floral themed chassis. The whole thing resembled a circus parade mocking the sanctity of a place of such strategic importance as the Ironholm Motorpool.

"Cute, Captain, but I expect all soldiers to train on accurate depictions of the enemy." The Colonel frowned. "Have you not received the data on Gaian markings and uniforms the Peacekeepers have sent us?" She asked mockingly.

"We did Colonel, this is what the Peacekeepers have sent us." Himura replies a bit surprised and startled by Santiago's reaction.

"Dios mío!" The Colonel exclaims. "Deidre Skye has truly gone mad from all that time among her flowers and trees. Fire the laser and burn this eyesore!"

The barrel of the laser cannon atop the rover turned red as if glowing with hatred, the red glare even drowned Jirou Himura's bald yellow head in a crimson shade. A mere fraction of a second later the weapon fired, the whole garage was filled with a red flash of light as bright as a rising sun at dawn. The supposed Gaian rover was essentially cut in half with red glowing edges of half-melting metal releasing droplets of liquid steel onto the floor of the garage. The two dummies caught fire, their flowers turned to ash and where once there were bright colors there was now only a dark layer of black. Even the protective safety wall behind the rover was slightly burned, but it did its job and absorbed the laser's energy before it burned a hole in the garage's wall.

"Excellent work Captain. How soon can we field the first Helios Rover unit?" Santiago asks with a delightful although still somewhat hidden glee on her face.

"Three months Colonel, in the beginning of M.Y. 27." Himura answers.

"Then mission year 27 will be a new dawn for the Citizen Militia, with the sun of Helios illuminating our battlefield." The Colonel said, while looking at the burned and melted carcass of what was once a rover chassis painted in all the colors of the rainbow.

 

[Kalin]

 

[Cassidy]

Many of you wonder why I not only allow, but encourage the managers of Morgan Industries subsidiaries to compete among each other with similar products, a policy that opposes all "common sense" on Earth's old multinationals and near monopolies, with of course my share from both winner and loser.

"But Morgan, investing on two products to compete with each other from the same corporation is a bad idea!", they said. Of course that is precisely why Morgan Industries is a giant and no independent ex-employee has ever managed to compete with us for too long. Surely, let them have some niches and tight corners here and there, for without competition there is no progress, only complacency, and without progress there is no wealth.

Let competition flow from both inside Morgan Industries and outside. I mean, I am probably the only man on Planet who will take no offense even if the second wealthiest man here, my very second in command of Morgan Industries, were to decide to quit and start his own business to compete with us, and I am probably the only statesman who does not interfere with the economic freedoms of my associates in the name of wasteful utopias or lunatic tree hugging, or worse even: worm hugging. Everyone in Morgan Industries has a chance to shine, and outside Morgan Industries too, if they are bold enough to risk it.

Naturally, I will offer to purchase the assets of any mildly successful competitors to Morgan Industries for a sum of energy nobody would refuse, for whenever competitors prove themselves that good, I buy their company for a price that is enough for them to retire for multiple lifetimes in the greatest luxury. This is how Morgan Industries has a free market inside it, both from internal competition among different subsidiaries, external competition from valiant small businesses and ex-employees and perhaps, eventually, foreign competition, and such is why we are the best, because there will always exist someone challenging us and I will never force my hand against the invisible hand of the free market to stop them.

--CEO Nwabudike Morgan, The Centauri Monopoly.

 

[Kalin]

Mission Year 2129

Captain Coriander and her band of green recruits moved swiftly through the ruins of U.N. Planetary Trust, using their gauss pistols and shredder carbines to pick off any Peacekeepers still alive. The strike force was an ill-disciplined bunch at best, struggling to maintain formations, clumsily neglecting to use cover and being prone to waste the near-impossible-to-replicate ammunition in frenzied bursts, even when a single shot or two would easily have sufficed. Against a well-organised foe they would have been like lambs to the slaughter. Fortunately for the Gaians, any semblance of a proper defence had been completely destroyed by Amanda Tangerine Starshine and her powerful Mind Worm host. With incredible ruthlessness, the Empath had paved the way right through the Peacekeeping ranks, taking the base completely by surprise. The worms had descended upon Peacekeeping soldiers and civilians alike, burrowing through helmets, synthsteel armour and flimsy environmental suits to penetrate the brains of their horrified victims. Now, some mere thirty minutes later, the survivors barely even put up a fight, most of them having been reduced to shivering, drooling wrecks, driven insane by the terrifying visions brought on by the fury of Planet.

The gamble had paid off exactly as Lady Skye had envisioned it, and to the delight of the scientists back in Gaia's Landing, they had even managed to reclaim their stolen artefact, now safely back en route to the colonies. In addition, the plunder from the Peacekeeper base had helped sustain the struggling economy, holding off a complete energy collapse by at least a few more years, allowing for continued, near one-hundred per cent focus on much-vital research. Meanwhile, the diplomatic corps had been working around the clock, and through their new friends in the Human Hive - and at the rather outrageous price of the knowledge of Ethical Calculus - the Council had received the communication protocols for Miriam Godwinson and her fanatical faction.

The Lord's Believers, as they now called themselves, had been suspiciously open to cooperation, resulting in a significant exchange of technological data, not least blueprints for Unity Rover production and new experimental laser weaponry. Sister Miriam had even agreed to join forces against Lal, though to what extent this would prove useful remained to be seen. At the very least, the fascist oppressor would be deprived of a possible source of commerce, putting another dent in his plans for planetary domination.

Overall, the conflict was proceeding very much in the favour of the Gaians, most of whom could barely believe their recent success to be true. Of course, the Christian fundamentalists were unreliable allies at best, and few citizens held any illusions that the cooperation would prove lasting. In addition, the Peackeepers still had further bases, and while some technological parity had most likely been achieved, they did possess the advantage of having had access to better weapons and armour for a much longer time. Still, the destruction of their synthmetal battalion and vicious sacking of their frontier base sent a clear message to U.N. Headquarters and the Spartan menace: Don't tread on us!

Spoiler

- Gaian War-Song, Datalinks

 

[Shadenuat]

 

[Hellraiser]

tl;dr Lal is a useless cunt, lost war to hippies, won't trade me tech, surrenders to hippies.

 

[Kalin]

☮ FLOWER POWER! ☮

Despite the early victory at U.N. Planetary Trust, many Gaians had feared that a massive Peacekeeping counter-attack was about to take place. To bolster defences, Greenhouse Gate had reformed its scout patrols into a fully synthmetal-armoured force - The Starchild Battalion - and engineers in Autumn Grove had begun prototyping a new Unity Rover design, utilising the laser blueprints from the Lord's Believers. If the Peacekeepers wanted war, they would get their fill and then some. Surprisingly, ITZ never came, for as Amanda Starshine and Captain Coriander's justice warriors advanced into Peacekeeping lands, Pravin Lal beseeched the Council for peace.

As it turned out, tales of the devastating Mind Worm attack had spread far and wide throughout the Peacekeeping territory, and with little to combat such an effective weapon, their citizens were utterly terrified of the Gaian advance. Even their most seasoned soldiers had outright refused to fight. Love and freedom had prevailed over fascism, and peace had been enforced by the will of Mother Planet herself. As the news spread, the Gaian colonies were swept by wild celebrations day and night.

Warrior-poet performing "Mighty Little Bros" - a popular ode to the Mind Worms

The Council, of course, quickly accepted the surrender, turning foe into ally for no greater a price than some good old mercy. At the request of Lady Skye, the Lord's Believers ended their hostilities with the Peacekeepers as well, and the two even signed a treaty of friendship, effectively uniting all three factions in their common struggle against the Spartan menace.

 

[The Brazilian Slaughter]

The Rose is beatiful and its fragance delicious, but beware its thorns, for they cut and bleed those who handle it without care.

 

[Shadenuat]

Overcoming Spartan's morale bonus would still be a challenge for Gaians I think.

can we haz cool maps nao?

 

[Azira]

There's still a third player who hasn't encountered either gaians nor spartans. I'd not expect any maps for at least 100 turns yet.

 

[The Brazilian Slaughter]

True, but Morganites gonna Morgan, so expect them to show up and trolololololol the winning player until he feels it has no point in upsetting the balance, all while accumulating enough joules for extra jewingl.

Overcoming Spartan's morale bonus would still be a challenge for Gaians I think.

A +2 morale difference is quite big, especially if Hellraiser grinds enough XP from wild mindworms. If this was SMAX, spartans using Sopporific Gas units would anally rape the gaians. Does the morale penalty affects mindworms? If the Spartans get some good terrain and artillery they can pretty much sit where they are and take all the attacks the enemy can get, especially in a properly defended city (Perimeter Defense, Sensor, etc). Personally if it was me I would try to do a Impact Rover + Mindworm rush, use the rovers to kill anything on open ground and have the mindworms and some infantry crack the cities before Spartans get plasma steel armor. Otherwise, better wait for aircraft and missiles.

(Gaians are lucky this is SMAC not SMAX, ergo no Resonance Laser)

 

[Kalin]

Mission Year 2135

In stark contrast to the other faction leaders, not to mention the pompous government officials on Earth, the Gaian Council did not care much for ceremonies or formalities. Their meetings were casual affairs, taking place whenever it was deemed appropriate. The Council as such did not even have its own meeting chambers - today, they had assembled in one of the domed gardens along the shore of Gaia's Landing, just as much to decide upon matters of strategy and general policy as to enjoy the surroundings and the spectacular view. The next time they met, it would most likely be somewhere else entirely.

The only member of the group who stood out by not being seated or visibly relaxed was Major Amanda Windsong. Standing straight in her always so meticulously kept uniform, she was definitely the strongest proponent of discipline in the colonies, a remnant from her service in the Unity Security Forces. Together with her generally stern demeanor, this quality had quickly earned her the nickname Major Buzzkill, and had further generated a whole set of rumours of how she harboured totalitarian, big-government, fascisto-Spartan sympathies. At present, she was reading out the report from the recent debacle at Greenhouse Gate, where antagonised Mind Worms had overwhelmed and destroyed both a scout patrol and an entire terraforming detachment.

''...which brings the total numbers to three hundred and twenty-seven confirmed dead, forty-five wounded and twelve still missing.'

'Thank you Major. And the terraforming transport?' asked Deirdre Skye, seemingly taking the casualties with ease.

'Regretably lost as well, Lady. By the time we would reach it, the Mind Worms would have chewed through it completely, wrecking every critical system inside.'

'Industrious little fellows' Deirdre said musingly. 'Well, make sure to recycle whatever is left behind. Where are we with the precautionary measures?'

'It is all proceeding according to plan, Lady Skye. Ever since the breakthrough in the study of human self-awareness, the Garden Sentinels have made rapid progress. Most Gaians lack the proper aptitude for Empath training, of course, but the Sentinels have found ways to bestow a trance-like state upon practically any willing subject, effectively shielding them from all but the very strongest of mind-warping attacks.'

'And they can still function normally?' Deirdre asked quizzically.

"Very much so!' Major Scott interjected. 'It is not some drone-like state, like from nerve-stapling or what have you! It's comforting, warming. Quite mellow, really!'

'Ehr, yes, quite', Windsong continued. 'With the resources from the Peacekeepers, we should be able to upgrade all of our obsolete battalions to incorporate trance-capabilities within the year. Of course, the greatest benefit has been the new understanding of how the animals communicate psionically throughout the ecosystems. We now have several Empaths capable of taming and controlling the Mind Worms, using and overriding the techniques observed within the Xenofungus itself. Also, as of last week, one new Broodmaster is commanding a second boil in the western lands. It is not as large as the one controlled by Starshine, but given time, this one, too, will become considerable.'

'And what of the breeding project?' Deirdre continued.

'No problems on that front either!' Scott replied. 'Within a few years, our Garden Sentinels and trance-shielded troops may not even be needed as escorts outside of the bases anymore - we will have plenty of Broodmasters by then, using both the domesticated and lab-bred worms to aid the colonies. The incident at Greenhouse Gate was unfortunate, but really, Lady, I doubt we will ever see another one.'

'Very good, Major Scott. For now, I believe we should keep this knowledge secret from the others. After all, it would not do to have potential enemies of Planet figure out how to resist its strongest weapon. Do not share it with the Peacekeepers or the Lord's Believers, and especially not with the Human Hive.'

'Oh, the Hive!' Councilor Amiga Haze said, snapping out of his usual daydreaming. 'Why, their ambassador just asked again for the communication protocols for the Spartans. What should I tell him?'

'Just keep denying we have it' Deirdre said resolutely. 'Santiago is no threat for now. As Pravin's maps have showed us, there is an entire ocean between our territories. Still, Yang would definitely trade with them, perhaps even going so far as to sell them our very own research data, and as long as the Spartans mean us harm, that is simply unacceptable.'

'Understood Lady Skye. Is there anything else?'

'Only this' Deirdre replied with a smile. 'Get in touch with the Believers, and make sure to offer them our new synthmetal and transport foil designs. If we are lucky, they might just build a small fleet and attack Sparta Command. With Godwinson's crusader armies wreaking havoc on their doorstep, an invasion of our peaceful gardens will be the last thing on their mind.'

 

[Hellraiser]

Considering that for all we know Miriam is on the opposite side of Planet, I don't worry much about them invading me with designs 50 years behind me in tech by the time they get here. Perhaps I'll put some of their military hardware on display in the Spartan Museum of Warfare next to the last of the Unity Rovers.

 

[Hellraiser]

Helios Rover unit lead by Semen "Metalcraze" Klymenko managed to trigger a drilling pod releasing yet another new river on Terra Sparta (official name of my continent, any other factions on it can go fuck themselves if they have a problem with the name). Metalcraze's Rush is the longest river yet discovered on Terra Sparta.

Also Sparta is growing strong despite minor setbacks caused by mindworm attacks. Details on why, how and why the Enemy (especially of the hippy variety) will need a new clean pair of pants is coming in a few turns.

BTW an isle of the deep just dropped a stack of worms next to Lal's last and only base. This is going to end well for the Gaian-Peacekeeper alliance.